Lind L, Gigante B, Borne Y, et al. - Given genetic loci related to CHD display different links with the intima-media thickness in the common carotid artery (IMT-CCA) and in the bulb (IMT-bulb), researchers investigated whether IMT-CCA and IMT-bulb vary also with respect to circulating protein profiles and risk of incident atherosclerotic disease. They used three Swedish cohorts (MDC, IMPROVE, PIVUS, total n > 7,000), in which, they evaluated IMT-CCA and IMT-bulb by ultrasound at baseline and examined 86 cardiovascular-associated proteins. During 10 years of follow-up, IMT-CCA and IMT-bulb were examined in relation to incident atherosclerotic disease in the PIVUS study only. Findings revealed the link of elevated levels of matrix metalloproteinase-12 with both IMT-CCA and IMT-bulb, but a significant association of other proteins with IMT in only one of these locations. Experts found a more close association of IMT-bulb vs IMT-CCA with incident atherosclerotic disease, and this highlights a difference between these measurements of IMT.